Prince Charles supports New Zealand wool

With the Wools of New Zealand share offer on the table, last month's visit by Global Campaign for Wool patron Prince Charles was right on time.

Federated Farmers national president Bruce Wills and Meat & Fibre chairperson Jeanette Maxwell met Prince Charles to discuss the future of the industry here and abroad at the Shear Brilliance showcase, which was held in The Cloud at Auckland's Queens Wharf.

"Prince Charles spent more than an hour at the Shear Brilliance wool exhibitions, showing his real passion for the fibre and his ongoing commitment to the global Campaign for Wool," Maxwell says.

The prince announced to the guests that his suit was made from "beautiful New Zealand wool", giving his support to the industry here.

Maxwell said the meeting of the Wool Unity Group also included Primary Industries Minister David Carter and the importance of wool to New Zealand's sheep industry was made clear to all.

"At present the wool is under-performing but it has the potential to earn billions of dollars in export receipts, rather than the hundreds of millions it currently does," Maxwell says.

"That is why the global Campaign for Wool and His Royal Highness' patronage is central to wooing consumers back to wool.

"The innumerable health, safety and natural benefits of wool are real, but underleveraged."

Unlike oil-based materials, wool is a renewable and sustainable resource.

The Federation was doing all it could to support cohesion in the wool industry, which is currently lacking.

"Perhaps it is now time for Federated Farmers to step up.

"This is something we do rarely and only when something breaks down.

"Wool is arguably at that point right now, given it was drifting even before the wool levy was lost," Maxwell says.

"Perhaps Federated Farmers could help drive unity from the growerup.

"That came through loud and clear during the Wool Unity group meeting with HRH and Minister Carter."